self care

Self Care is Free…

healthy living

When we think of self care nowadays, we immediately think of luxury spa days, trips away and treating ourselves to an item on our Wishlist and while it’s absolutely fine to do that, sometimes we forget that self care is more than that. Self care doesn’t have to be materialistic or cost money, here are a few ways that self care can be free yet more meaningful…

#1. Consuming Meaningful Content – one way I include a lil self care on a daily basis is by listening to a podcast everyday and listening to whatever I feel like in the moment. Sometimes I choose on health health and self development and sometimes I just listen to music. This can be reading a book, be it fiction or non-fiction. With the hustle mindset we have around us, it can be natural to feel like everything we take in needs to be work or study related, but that’s what self care is for. So your next task is to consume something that will please you; whether that is a book about Greek Mythology or a series binge on Netflix.

#2. Saying No – this is something we all take for granted, we often feel obligated to please others and do what they ask of us but sometimes it’s alright to say no. If doing something does not serve any purpose and only drains you, then declining is doing yourself a favour. This can be opting out of an event, saying no to plans to spend time on yourself or saying no to helping someone else do their work before completing yours. It may seem selfish, but once in a while, it’s okay to say no.

#3. Being In Nature – taking a walk or going for a hike is a great day to shut off your mind and get in tune with your body. It is also helpful to do this without anything else distracting you, although listening to music and podcasts is self care, when outdoors it’s best to let your mind wander, you’ll find that this is when deeper ideas and thoughts emerge. Quiet time is essential and you wouldn’t want anything to distract you from enjoying your surroundings.

#4. Taking The Day Off – take a day off to do whatever you want to do, that can be baking, reading or absolutely nothing. Blocking some time off just to yourself is a great self care idea, sometimes we spend so much time around people that we forget to listen to ourselves.

#5. Give yourself permission – we often restrict ourselves in several aspects of our lives but sometimes we need a break, so take a day and allow yourself to do what you want. A healthy mindset means balance; if you want a night of Netflix and popcorn or to indulge in a sweet treat, have it! I believe in healthy living, but I also believe in enjoying the little things in life.

#6. Let go of the Guilt- this is something I still struggle with but it’s a critical part of our mental health… you need to let go of the guilt. We need to stop feeling guilty if we eat something unhealthy. Instead acknowledge that you had something less than healthy, but that you enjoyed it and there shouldn’t be any regret. Don’t let something that you ate rule your emotions, you need to learn to enjoy your decisions.

I hope this post helps you in some way and that you find something useful here. Let me know how you prefer to practice self care and please follow for more posts like this one.

Getting Back on Track After the Holidays

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Entering into 2020, we all are pumped to achieve our resolutions and strengthen our fitness goals, however 2019 did end with the holidays, which means that we all fell a bit off track in some way or the other. Most likely, we ate a little too much or partied a little too late, but that doesn’t mean we let go and say “Oh well, 2021 is gonna be my year!” NO! This means we brush it off and pick our hangover, sugar-coma selves back up, so here’s how you can do it.

Step 1: Get Rid Of The Guilt

One thing to understand is that it’s normal to want to enjoy the holidays and indulge once in a while, but it’s also normal to feel guilty. However, feeling guilty for eating something considered “bad” is toxic for your mind and journey, so stop searching for “how to get rid of a cheat meal?” Instead ask yourself “Does feeling guilty reverse what happened?” No it does not. So allow yourself to enjoy what you ate and the festive season, knowing that fitness is a lifestyle and it isn’t going anywhere.

 

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Step 2: Be Active

It’s important to stay active even during the holidays, but if you didn’t, that’s alright, the time is now. However, jumping straight back into the gym might not come naturally so start small such as going for a morning walk/jog and doing some at home workouts. You’ll find that engaging your body will trigger the desire to get back to your full out workouts, because motivation is temporary and unrealistic but habits are not.

 

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Step 3 : Clean Eating

The family Christmas dinners are over, now concentrate on eating at home instead of outside. It’s not necessary to weigh everything you eat but tracking may prove useful, try it for one or two weeks until you can eat intuitively, because that is the ultimate goal. Remember that food is meant to fuel your body so implement whole foods and take a break from the processed stuff.

 

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Step 4 : Set A specific Goal

It’s a new year, so don’t be vague about what you want. “Get fit” or “Lose some weight” are not definitive goals, they’re shallow, meaningless thoughts. What you should do is decide on a number such as “I will lose 5% of my body fat in 4 months” or a particular skill such as being able to do pull ups and set the deadline. If we don’t visualise the end of the finish line, we’ll never reach it. It’s good to keep a fitness journal, a physical or a digital one; there is something striking about the feel of an actual tracking journal, but digital ones also have benefits such as reminders. Alternatively, you can get an accountability partner, be it family/friends or someone in the same fitness group, for example on social media.

I hope this blog post helps you to get back on track of your fitness goals, these are the steps I am currently taking to do so. Thank you for reading and please leave a comment and follow for more xoxo.

 

5 Books You Should Read

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Reading is an essential part of my every day life and I find it hard to believe that at one point in time it wasn’t really my thing. I really became a book addict when I was around 15 years old and since then, I haven’t gone a day without reading a few chapters. Now I’m not asking you to read a book in a few days but a few pages a day is beneficial. Of course, I started with paranormal romance as my guilty pleasure (it may still be, don’t judge me) and then I delved into self-help books and psychology books. Status Update – I’m a self help junkie.

I believe reading can either be about losing yourself in another world and living thousands of different lives or it can be about growth and attaining knowledge. I find pleasure in learning and we learn every single day.

I have read all of the following books down below. They are self-help books that take different approaches towards personal development and I think that no matter where you are in life right now, you can find at least one which speaks to you.

 

1. The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey – definitely one of my favourites and one I keep going back to. This book has helped me understand my issue of procrastination and has taught me how to deal with it. Discover ways to improve your work ethic and surprising factors that actually harm your productivity. I’ve definitely seen an increase in my productivity after implementing the tactics in this book and it has helped me decrease the feeling of burnout.

 

2. Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey – if you find yourself easily distracted or unable to focus on one thing for a period of time, then this book is for you. Tap into your superhuman focus and learn to work smarter, not harder. (PS. I’m in hyperfocus mode right now)

 

3. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma – this book was not what I expected, I’d advise you to be patient at first when starting the book. I was sceptical about it at first and thought I wouldn’t be able to finish even half of it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the book’s steady pace, it’s an enlightening read, it touches on mindfulness, human psychology and ways we can create a brighter life. Definitley recommend this one if you’re feeling a little lost or out of balance in your life.

 

4. The Secret by Rhonda Byrnes – I simply enjoyed the way the author voiced her message in this book, she eases you into the practice of gratitude in all aspects of your life without thrusting you into the ‘Gratitude frenzy’ going on all around the media (you know, the gratitude morning routine). It focuses on all aspects such as; wealth, health, relationships and many more. Again, as one who is often sceptical, I thought the book was all about the law of attraction and although it seems that way, I found another aspect to it. Just by reading the book I started to notice the things around me, it developed an awareness in me that has remained even months after.

 

5. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson – this book spoke to the sceptic in me, in other words I now live by this book. This was said to be the self help book for people who hate self help and it is a pleasure to read it. Now is there swearing every 3 minutes? Yes. Does it make it even better to read? Hell yeah, it does.To be honest, I often hear people say that you always have to be happy and grateful, but I am not always those things and I know you aren’t either. Social Media and even self help influencers indirectly lead us to believe that it’s wrong to feel that way, but it’s not. It’s okay to not be okay and this book teaches you that. 

 

Now before I go into a self love rant, let me leave it at that. As Always thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you found something useful here and I would like to remind you that it’s not just about reading the book, it’s about implementing the methods and advice in it. Unfortunately, we can’t just absorb a book’s powers, we have to put in the action.

Lots of love to all of my readers and please follow for more posts like this, xoxo.

6 Podcasts You Need To Listen To

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I believe that what you consume affects your mindset and therefore your life, but this doesn’t only mean your nutrition, it also means the content you feed your mind with. This is why continuous scrolling through instagram or facebook is discouraged, they give you a false, perfect outlook on life which doesn’t match your own life and this either motivates you in the short term or it bruises your self esteem and demotivates you. It’s usually the latter. So, filling your days with mindless or irrelevant content often does more damage than good, even if you get a small shot of satisfaction, that will pale in comparison to the feeling of gaining knowledge and a deeper insight.

These podcasts range from self help to fitness and motivation. They are great to listen to during a workout or when you’re performing mindless tasks. They are listed below in no particular order and I do urge you to give at least one of them a try because you’ll have the chance to connect with a wider community and possibly with yourself.

1. Earn Your Happy – Lori Harder – listen to enlightening conversations on how to empower yourself, advice for entrepreneurs that can be applied to your everyday life. This podcast delves into psychology, the world of business and everything you want to know to unlock your true potential.

2. Kalyn’s Coffee Talk– I love listening to this podcast whenever I feel a little lost. It focuses on a healthy mindset and achieving a balanced lifestyle, as well as helping you face truths often buried deep in your mind. A fair warning, once you start an episode you’ll want to finish it in one go, so make sure you allocate the time for enjoying this one.

3. The Model Health Show – I’ve actually just started listening to Shawn Stevenson’s show and it’s already one of my favourites. You get to learn the truth about nutrition and the myths behind weight loss, as well as discover a balance between the two. Highly recommend.

4. The School Of Greatness –  Lewis Howes – the name couldn’t be more appropriate. I find myself craving for the moments I get to listen to Lewis Howes’ s advice on pursuing a career, cultivating creativity and his riveting conversations with the most influential people. This is one you won’t want to miss.

5. The Lavendaire Lifestyle – Aileen Xu – this is for more for my de-stress and relaxing routines (you’ll understand when you hear her voice). The podcast explores the hardships of careers and goals, fuelling your passion and promoting self love.

6. The Health Code – funny, entertaining and informative. This podcast is the best combination of health advice mixed in with comedy. Learn about healthy hacks and balancing your career, fitness and relationships.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post, all of the podcasts mentioned above are my personal favourites. Let me know if you have any recommendations of your own, I’d love to give them a try. Have an amazing day, xoxo.

10 Tips to De-stress & Unwind

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  • Stretching – this not only relieves muscle tension but it also increases you awareness of your own body and physical state. It gives you a chance to slow down.

 

  • Listen to a Podcast – I love listening to self-help podcast episodes to help me gain clarity and relax. I listen to them while working out or when I’m doing mindless tasks. I have another post coming up about my favourite podcasts, so keep a lookout for that.

 

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  • Put it on Paper – writing it out is the most obvious thing to do, I used to think it wasn’t helpful before, but now I reach for my journal whenever something is weighing me down. Don’t think about what you’re going to write (I’m not really into the whole writing a set number of things). Keep it natural and straight from mind to paper.
  • Escape for a day – now I don’t necessarily mean go on a trip to an exotic island or take the day off to hike in the woods, although that would be awesome. Escaping for a day could be anything from a road trip to just taking the day off for yourself. For example; I always have Saturdays off because of my religion, but today is Sunday and I decided that I just needed to take it for myself. I said no to going out because I needed to just slow down and be, which is something that’s key to de-stressing – learning to say no.

 

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  • Coffee/ Tea Time – I’m writing this post right now in my pyjamas, with a cup of coffee and I feel at peace. I drink coffee more for the process than for the taste and no one can interrupt this sacred me time. Find joy in the little things.

 

  • Digital detox – definitely something I need more of. Take a day (or more if you’re feeling adventurous) to put the phone, iPad, tv, laptop and any other device away. Stay off of social media for that period and actually pay attention to what’s going on around you.

 

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  • Do absolutely nothing – yes, that’s right. Sometimes you just need to do nothing. Don’t try so hard to relax that you end up stressing over relaxing. If you want to lie down and just stare at the ceiling for an hour, going through the things on your mind, go right ahead. Just don’t let that hour seep into a week.

 

  • Mindfulness exercise – now this can be concentrating on your breathing or doing a whole body scan type of exercise. It can also be listening to calming audios or stories. I’m not one for manifesting meditations, but you do you.

 

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  • Self care routine – this is can be a pamper spa routine, reading a book or watching a movie, but developing whatever you do into a routine just helps reassure your mind that you have a system in place and it helps you believe in your process. Another good idea would be a self care kit, which I have coming up in another post.

 

  • Spend Time with a pet or an animal – animals help relieve our emotions and make us happy, that can be cuddling with your dog, riding a horse or staring at your goldfish. Trust me, it works.

 

  • Bonus Tip – don’t rely on potentially unhealthy factors. Besides the obvious harmful factors, even relying on food to help you with your emotions is a bad route because it will never be enough. At some point you will become intolerant to the happy hormones certain indulgences give you, so make sure you de-stress in a steady and healthy way.

 

Thank you for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it and that it helped you in some way. Please follow for more posts like this, xoxo.

Self Love…

healthy living

We often forget the importance of self love for the health of our state of mind. Reducing stress and clearing our mind is crucial to obtaining our ideal health and body. When we neglect our mental state we find ourselves letting our physical health slide as well, chronic levels of stress leads to high cortisol levels thus contributing to weight gain. So here are 5 self care habits to help you de-stress and unwind.

  • Stretch routine– sometimes a full blown workout isn’t what your mind and body needs. Stretching allows you to both relax your body and center your mind, making you more aware and present. When you feel stressed, try 10mins of yoga or stretching to calm yourself and rejuvenate your body.
  • Journaling– I’ve mentioned journaling before and it isn’t something that should be underestimated. Sometimes writing out your thoughts and emotions help to clear out and organize everything on your mind. Have you ever had something bothering you but you just couldn’t figure out what is was? Well journaling can help you realize or come to terms with issues located deep in your subconscious.
  • Rest day– taking a day off of your workouts is necessary to let your body relax and heal. No one can handle workout out vigorously every single day, so take a day off (I usually take Saturdays) and focus on other aspects of your life.
  • Filter your social media– we’re usually unaware of the effects of social media. Seeing endless pictures of perfect models probably isn’t helping you love your own body, instead you’re now analyzing and being critical of your own body image (keep in mind that this excludes fitness influencers or mentors). So filter out the type of people you follow or are subscribed to; if they don’t inspire or motivate you, it’s best to set them aside. Trust me this goes a long way to help you de-stress.
  • Digital Cleanse– this is one of the most difficult yet most effective habits, taking a break from screen time. That means ignoring your phone, laptop, tablet and tv for a set time (this doesn’t include sleeping hours so don’t cheat). This helps you to be more present and it actually forces you to be more creative or outgoing as you find other ways to entertain yourself (unless you lay in bed staring at the ceiling for hours).

I hope you implement some if not all of these habits into your life and I hope they help you in any way possible. Thank you for reading, please like and follow for more posts like this one. See you next time xoxo.